Character Index
- King Cylas Robarthe The King of Singarth. He's always been a hedonist at heart, but since his wife went mad, he became something of a recluse. Interested in whores and alcohol, he left the running of his country to his Advisor, Mereavus Vorserkeine, and his only legitimate daughter, Aliamine Alexston. He fathered Carrigan Vorserkeine with Mereavus eighteen years ago, and remains very emotionally attached to her mother despite the affair being long-dead. - Queen Sabellyn Robarthe Sabellyn is the Queen of Singarth, but currently, she isn't the Queen of much, in reality. She lost her mind around four years ago. She is the mother of Aliamine Alexston and Bryand Robarthe. She currently inhabits a secluded wing of the castle and is attended by Saegar doctors and nuns. - Prince Bryand Robarthe The exiled Prince of the Robarthe dynasty. He is the only member of the dynasty to have been given such a dubious honour, and his whereabouts are currently presumed to be several nations north. He is the younger brother of Aliamine Alexston, and was banished at fifteen after being found in a compromising position with an older man. - Princess Aliamine Alexston (nee Robarthe) Cylas and Sabellyn's only legitimate heir. There has been some controversy over this in the past due to her being a woman, but she since her marriage to a General from Merrowcrest, this has died down. There are still murmurs that she ought not ascend the throne with him. She is searching for something that might allow the Cinn and the Saegar to live peacefully alongside one another once more, along with a cure for her mother's mental illness. She has only recently discovered her half-sister, Carrigan Vorserkeine, after enduring some unpleasantness with her in the past. She is the wife of William Alexston and has recently discovered she is with child. - Prince William Alexston William prefers to be known as General Alexston. He is a low-born man with extreme military inclinations and no interest in uniting the Cinn and humans again. He believes that the only way to peace is to destroy the Cinn completely. After deflowering Princess Aliamine, he was 'politely forced' to marry her by Mereavus Vorserkeine. He is building a Templar order with Barric Maven. - Duke Barric Maven of Blackhedge County Currently a Cardinal and Duke of Blackhedge, although Barric is one of the candidates (some say the only real candidate) for the re-election of the Pontufex (Pope). He is married to Mereavus Vorserkeine-Maven, who is expecting his child in early spring. He is a good friend of William Alexston and is one of the most popular Saegar, owing to his friendly and trustworthy nature. - Duchess Mereavus Vorserkeine-Maven of Blackhedge County Mereavus became the Duchess of Blackhedge in her first marriage, which was arranged by the King when she fell pregnant with Carrigan Vorserkeine. She is currently married to Barric Maven and is expecting his child. She has been Advisor to King Cylas for over a decade, and has essentially been running the country through a system of skilled forgeries and facades ever since the King's interest declined. She is unwilling to give up a great deal of her influence and power. - Countess Verity Abbendroth of Brightbeach Barrow (nee Ratcliff ) Verity (otherwise known as Rat) is Mereavus Vorserkeine's first husband's illegitimate daughter. She was conceived whilst he was married to Mereavus, and the Advisor has been paying a stipend for her upkeep ever since her husband's death, ten years ago. Verity briefly came to live with Mereavus after her mother's death, but the two had more than one run-in. It resulted in Verity being sent to a pauper's orphanage. She returned when she was eighteen and began to work in the castle, until her manservant mysteriously acquired her a deal to marry Count Jonathan Abbendroth. She appears to be happy since the marriage happened, and lives with him, Morgance van Reinhardt and Ghost the Barbarian on a farm towards Brightbeach Barrow. - Count Jonathan Abbendroth of Brightbeach Barrow ("Djack") An enigmatic man who has spent twenty years at sea exploring for the Crown. He returned six months ago, and has since married Verity Ramora. He lives on a farm with her, their mutual friend Morgance, her fiance Ghost the Barbarian and their servants, Corbin Pyn and Maeve. - Viscountess Morgance van Reinhardt The cook at the most popular tavern in Knoxwater. She is one of the last surviving members of the van Reinhardt family, sister to the Count of Coldcastle Point. She fled her family a year ago, and came to work at the city. She doesn't give out her last name, and only Mereavus knows who she is in entirety. She is the convenient key between Verity and Djack's marriage, having set the two up to repay a vital favour she owed Corbin Pyn. Recently, Corbin and Ghost entered something of a love-war for her affections. Ghost came out as the victor, and is due to marry her. She lives on one half of the farm at Brightbeach Barrow. She is the adopted mother to Mishap ("'Hap") van Reinhardt. - Geist Skallagrimson "Ghost" Ghost paid Corbin Pyn to help him when the city guard had injured him as he 'fled justice'. He was given over to Morgance's care, and has lived with her since. He competed with Corbin Pyn for her affections and asked her to marry him very recently. He is being watched by William Alexston, though he's oblivious to this fact. - Corbin Pyn Verity Abbendroth's manservant. He occasionally does the 'odd job' for Mereavus Vorserkeine when she doesn't wish to get her hands dirty. He murdered Morgance's father at her request, and she repaid him by matchmaking Verity with Count Abbendroth. He has had a peculiar form of love for Morgance for some time, but lost her affections due to his thuggish and dictating behaviour. He is responsible for killing 'Hap's mother so that he could give the child to Morgance, hoping to alleviate her severe depression. He is a slimy, lecherous little man with little regard for anyone but himself - and he likes it that way. - Godaivah Mentai ("Ivah") The Meloni tavernkeeper. She has been in Knoxwater for some time now, and has gained some popularity despite her foreign appearance. She had a one night stand with William Alexston, and also had a brief fling with Morgance van Reinhardt, who works as a cook in her tavern. - Dullahan Dullahan is the leader of the Cinn based in the marshes beyond Witchmeadow. He recently left the marshes at the behest of Carrigan Vorserkeine, who, after a stint in the city with the Cinn inhabiting the sewers, persuaded him that they could do more good there. He currently lives in the city with Carrigan and the city Cinn, and is respected there - but not idolised, as he was in the marshes. He seems to prefer this. He formerly had an affair with Nissa. He is reputed to have great magical power. - Nissa One of the marsh-based Cinn. She still lives in the marshes, though it is presumed that once she uncovers where Dullahan is, she'll follow. She has a neutral relationship with Carrigan, though has been kind to her in the past. Carrigan insists that she owes her an eye. - Carrigan Vorserkeine The illegitimate daughter of Mereavus Vorserkeine and King Cylas Robarthe. She was taken from her mother's home at three years old by the Cinn, and was brought up by her adopted mother, Osanna, in the marshes. She has some magical abilities, though suffers with pain due to being human (thus the 'wrong conduit' for her powers). She has been in love with Dullahan for what she calls 'all her life', and has suffered with severe mental illness in the past. She claims that she is now 'better' and is attempting to build a life for herself in the city, operating under the deception that she has left the Cinn permanently. She is making amends with her family and will soon undergo Confirmation and exorcism with the Saegar. - Osanna Carrigan's adopted mother. She has taken care of Carrigan since the girl was taken from her home, and worries about her almost constantly. She rescued Carrigan from the King's imprisonment very recently, and may well follow her 'daughter' to the city. - Evander Lurham A Leather Merchant residing in Knoxwater, born in Foxdell. His business is relatively popular. He generally provides leathers for the southern portion of the military and armies passing through. His leathers are widely used, though. He can often be seen at the local tavern or bartering a good price for his goods and services. A pleasant man, if a little rough around the edges. - Novel Hodder Orthelstone Castle's new Governess. She comes from a place called Springwood, allegedly 'very far away'. She came to Knoxwater with her baby daughter, Raevyn and found her way into the interview for her new role as a case of mistaken identity. It seems she has a few secrets. - Town Guard Captain Sebastian Harlock A former man-at-arms from Marshmeadow, Harlock was recently appointed to take over the operations of the Knoxwater Guard. He is serious and uncompromising about his work, a change from the lax standards of his predecessor, and seems determined to reform the Guard into a solid professional force. At one time, Sebastian despised the Cinn as much as the most bloody-minded Saegarian inquisitor, spurred by an atrocity in his past shrouded in secrets and lies. Now he acts as their eyes, ears and hidden hand in the midst of the court on discovering his Cinn heritage. A 'sixth sense' for danger and the unnatural has spared his hide and guided his hand many a time. - Cornelius Spradlin A wretched and selfish alcoholic from Pinelyn, Cornelius was forced to abandon his hometown to escape his debts. He was attracted to Knoxwater by it's wealth and hopes to eke out enough currency to fuel his tragic drinking habit, any way he can. - Dame Marie Ardouine A knight of Glassmoor (female knights are called Dames, much to her annoyance) who commands a small light horse company. Daughter of Frederick Ardouinne, Margrave of Glassmoor Province, though not air heir to his title. Her force is in the area to help patrol the sprawling countryside, with most of the King's Army barracked in the city - though her posting here may have as much to do with her besting an important baron in a deadly honor duel. A friend of William Alexston from her campaigning days, she is one of his more enthusiastic supporters and now a general in his armies. - Countess Maud Scarfell A noble from the peculiar, lonely islands off the eastern coast of Singarth with a weighty reputation for Cinn capture and torture. She is known in polite company as 'a specialist', and in not-so-polite company as 'a torturer'. She has been summoned to Orthelstone by William Alexston, and is working alongside the military, guard corps and Church in order to root out and extract information from discovered Cinn.